Sanitary toilet plunger containment system

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a toilet plunger containment system including a decorative shell, a selectively removable tray having a disposable disinfectant and a specialized plunger which is housed within the decorative shell during periods of non-use.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/666,130 filed on Nov. 1, 2012. The entire disclosure of theabove application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a toilet plunger containment systemand, more particularly, to a sanitary toilet plunger containment system.

BACKGROUND

It is often necessary to employ a toilet plunger to force objects stuckin the drain tube to become dislodged by exerting pressure on theplunger. Unfortunately, this is often a messy task both during theplunging process and afterward when the plunger is removed from thetoilet bowl for storage. Controlling the unsanitary nature of using andstoring the toilet plunger is therefore highly desirable.

SUMMARY

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not acomprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

A sanitary toilet plunger containment system for holding a plungerduring periods of non-use is provided and may include a tray, adisposable disinfecting component, and a housing. The tray may include afirst shelf portion and a second shelf portion. The disposabledisinfecting component may be positioned within the tray and include afirst portion supported by the first shelf portion and second portionsupported by the second shelf portion. The housing may include acircumferential wall which hosts the tray.

In another configuration, a sanitary toilet plunger containment systemfor holding a plunger during periods of non-use is provided and mayinclude a tray, a disposable disinfecting component, and a housing. Thetray may include a first tier and a second tier. The disposabledisinfecting component may be positioned within the tray and may besupported by the first tier. The housing may include a circumferentialwall which hosts the tray.

Still other aspects of the invention will be described with reference tothe drawings and detailed description provided below.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. The description and specific examples in this summaryare intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended tolimit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only ofselected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are notintended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the sanitary toilet plungercontainment system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the sanitary toilet plunger containment system;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the selectively removable tray of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a first side view of the sanitary toilet plunger containmentsystem;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the sanitary toilet plunger containmentsystem;

FIG. 6 is a second side view of the sanitary toilet plunger containmentsystem;

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the sanitary toilet plunger containment system;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a sanitary toilet plungercontainment system according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a large sized sanitary toilet plungercontainment system;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9 showing adisposable disinfectant component useful according to the teachings ofthe present invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative sanitarytoilet plunger containment system according to the present invention;

FIG. 11A is a partial sectional view of the sanitary toilet plungercontainment system of FIG. 11;

FIG. 12 is an assembled perspective view of a tray and disinfectantcomponent;

FIG. 12A is a partial sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 12;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of a trayaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 13A is a partial sectional view of the tray of FIG. 13 including adisinfectant component; and

FIG. 13B is a partial sectional view of the tray and disinfectantcomponent of FIG. 13A assembled in a shell.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

The shell 12, otherwise referred to herein as a housing, is typicallyformed from a moldable plastic material and is defined by a body 22including a base 24 and cover 26 as best shown with reference to FIG. 8.The base 24 is in the form of a two tiered bowl wherein the lower tier28 is defined by a bottom wall 30 and a first circumferential wall 32and the upper tier 36 extends outwardly and upwardly from thecircumferential wall 32. The outwardly projecting portion forms anintervening shelf 40 to assist in retaining the selectively removabletray 14. The upwardly projecting portion forms a second circumferentialwall 44 which is larger than first circumferential wall 32 and includesan upper lip 46 having a plurality of spaced apart flanges 48 designedto engage the upper portion 26 of the shell 12 in a snap fitrelationship. Optionally, the shell may include an elongated decorativeband 58 which snaps over the junction of the base and cover of thehousing when the two components are adjoined.

The cover 26, which only partially covers the base 24, includes an openarea 56 so as to allow for insertion and removal of the toilet plunger,includes a side wall 50 and a semi-circular top wall 52 which serves asa splash guard. The top wall 52 preferably includes a cut-out area 54sized to receive a lower portion of the toilet plunger handle.

The selectively removable tray 14, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, isdefined by a body 60 including a bottom wall 62, a side wall 64, and alip 66 extends outwardly from the side wall. The lip 66 seats over theupper lip 46 of the housing. The lip 66 is generally hemispherical andterminates at the edge of upper portion of the housing when the tray ispositioned within the shell. Ideally, the body of the tray 14 is sizedto fit securely within the body of the housing 12. Extending outwardlyfrom the lip 66 is gripping tab 71 which facilitates insertion andremoval of the tray from the housing.

The tray itself is designed to host a disposable, moisture absorptivematerial which includes a disinfectant component. This disposabledisinfectant can be formed from a variety of moisture absorptivematerials including, without limitation, charcoal, cellulosic materialssuch as wood chips, paper and cardboard or absorbent fibers by way ofnon-limiting example. The disposable disinfectant should be somewhathydrophilic and may include disinfectant compositions, deodorizingadditives and/or scented materials such as pine or floral scents, amongothers.

As should be appreciated, the moisture absorptive material 90 should becapable of being treated with disinfectants and deodorants in liquid,solid or gaseous form, and yet still be sufficiently absorptive aftertreatment with these types of compositions to consume waste water comingoff of the plunger. Preferably, the moisture adaptive material iscontained within the tray. A liquid permeable and/or perforated layer92, is separated from the absorptive material and is sealed to the edgeof the tray as shown in FIG. 11A. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10,the layer 92 can be adjacent to and serves as a wrapping for theabsorptive material. By concealing the absorptive material with layer92, exposure to the disinfecting composition and the absorptive materialwhen loading or emptying the tray can be minimized. Further,pre-packaging the disposable disinfectant facilitates loading andunloading of the composition from the tray as well as ease of storage.As shown in various figures, the packaged absorptive material is ideallysloped to conform to the slope receiving tray.

Under a highly preferred embodiment, the moisture absorptive material 90will be in the form of replaceable packets that can be sold separatelywhen refills are needed.

As for the plunger 18, the major elements include a suction cup 70, theshaft 72 and the handle 74. The cup 70 includes a body 76, a peripherallip 78 and a coupling portion 80 extending upwardly from the body. Thecup is formed from a material such as 60-90 a durometer silicone, butylrubber or other liquid injection moldable material or elastomericthermoplastics which is sufficiently durable and flexible to carry outeffective plunging. An added benefit of this type of material is that ithas limited porosity and is generally resistant to absorption; that is,toilet matter generally does not stick to it. Under a highly preferredembodiment, the plunger cup will be post treated to substantiallyeliminate the porosity all together. A high polished diamond lappingprocess can be employed to eliminate any surface porosity in the plungerhead which is molded from a silicone or other low porosity elastomericor thermoplastic elastomeric material.

The shaft 72 is formed from a sufficiently rigid material to withstandthe force applied to the plunger during use. Example materials includenylon 66, ABS, polypropylene and other thermoplastic materials thatinclude Teflon like functions that prevent are reduce adhesion of toiletdebris to the structure shaft 72 includes an elongated stem 84 and acoupling member 86 extending from the lower end of the shaft which mateswith the coupling portion 80 of the cup. As shown, this couplingarrangement is in the form of a male and female threaded embodiment, butas should be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various mechanicalcoupling arrangements could be utilized. Further, the male and femaleaspects could be on either the cup or the shaft as long as effectivemating is achieved.

Extending along the upper end 86 of the shaft 72 is an enlarged handle74. As shown, the upper end has a substantially bulbous shape to enhancethe ergonomics of the plunger during use. The handle may also include anend cap 88 which is formed from a material which is particularly usefulfor ergonomic purposes. Alternatively, the upper end 86 can be overmolded with an elastomeric material for comfort.

Referring particularly to FIG. 9, an alternative sanitary toilet plungercontainment system is shown. As should be readily apparent, this versionis particularly suited for lager, industrial type plungers. As such, theupper portion 26′ has a larger height dimension as compared to theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1-8. In virtually all other aspects, thecontainment system is the same. The need for a larger upper portion isthat the plunger cup 70′ itself is larger than industrial type plungers.

Referring to FIG. 11, an alternative sanitary toilet plunger containmentsystem is shown. Under this embodiment, the moisture absorptive material90 disposed within the tray and is sealed by a moisture permeable layerattached to the tray. The disposable tray is generally formed from aplastic material, preferably from a recycled feedstock. Again, amoisture absorptive material which is either naturally disinfecting orwhich can be treated with the appropriate disinfectants and deodorizingagents will be employed as previously described. By pre-packaging boththe tray, the moisture absorptive material and the moisture permeablylayer as an assembly, the construct 94 can be disposed of when necessaryand is readily replaceable.

The packaging (not shown) for the construct would preferably be moistureresistant to preserve the moisture absorbing characteristics of theabsorptive material.

Still another variation of the present invention is shown in FIG. 12.According to this embodiment, the moisture absorptive material is in theform of a wafer or disc positioned within a tray. A space 98 occursbelow the absorptive material to capture excess waste water coming offof the plunger if need be. In this embodiment, the disposabledisinfectant component is sufficiently rigid to support the plunger whenplaced thereupon.

Referring to FIGS. 13 through 13B, an alternative tray 14A is shown. Thetray 14A may be used with any of the sanitary toilet plunger containmentsystems shown herein, and may be similar to the tray 14, except asotherwise provided herein. Accordingly, like reference numerals will beused to describe similar features. Under this embodiment, the moistureabsorptive material 90 is disposed within the tray. Again, a moistureabsorptive material which is either naturally disinfecting or which canbe treated with the appropriate disinfectants and deodorizing agentswill be employed as previously described.

With particular reference to FIG. 13, the tray 14A may be defined by abottom wall 102, a first circumferential wall 104, a secondcircumferential wall 106, a third circumferential wall 108, and a lip66A. The bottom wall 102 may include a first tier 110 and a second tier112. The first tier 110 may be substantially planar and horizontal andmay be joined to the second tier by a fourth circumferential wall 114.The fourth circumferential wall 114 may extend at least partially in theaxial direction, such that the first tier 110 is an upper tier or shelf,and the second tier 112 is a lower tier. The first tier 110 may form asubstantially circular portion of the bottom wall 102 and may beconcentrically located relative to the second circumferential wall 106.Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the first tier 110 may serve asan axial support for the moisture absorptive material 90 and/or thesuction cup 70 or 70′ of the plunger 18.

The first circumferential wall 104 may extend from the second tier 112at least partially in the axial direction, such that the fourthcircumferential wall 114, the second tier 112, and the firstcircumferential wall 104 substantially forms an annular channel ortrough 116. The channel or trough 116 may serve as a receptacle forexcess water or moisture that is not absorbed by the moisture absorptivematerial 90.

The second circumferential wall 106 may extend radially from the firstcircumferential wall 104, such that the second circumferential wall 106substantially forms an intervening annular shelf to assist in supportingthe moisture absorptive material 90. Accordingly, an axial height H1 ofthe second circumferential wall 106 may be substantially equal to anaxial height H2 of the first tier 110, such that the secondcircumferential wall 106 and the first tier 110 are substantiallycoplanar. It will be appreciated that the first tier 110 may assist insupporting a central portion of the moisture absorptive material 90, andthe second circumferential wall 106 may assist in supporting aperipheral portion of the moisture absorptive material 90. Anintermediate portion of the moisture absorptive material 90 (locatedbetween the central portion and the peripheral portion) may besubstantially aligned with the trough 116, in an unsupportedconfiguration.

The third circumferential wall 108 may extend axially from the secondcircumferential wall 106. The lip 66A extends from the secondcircumferential wall 106, and may include a radially extending portion118 and an axially extending portion 120, such that the lip 66A forms asubstantially U-shaped channel that seats over the upper lip 46 of thehousing 12. The lip 66A terminates at the edge of the upper portion ofthe housing 12 when the tray 14A is positioned within the housing 12.Ideally, the body of the tray 14A is sized to fit securely within thebody of the housing 12. Extending outwardly from the lip 66A is grippingtab 71 which facilitates insertion and removal of the tray from thehousing.

The plunger containment systems described herein may be offeredcommercially as a kit. The kit may include at a minimum, a tray and amoisture absorbing component as described above. The kit may alsoinclude a decorative shell and optionally a plunger. Again, once themoisture absorptive component is exhausted, refills could be purchasedseparately.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided forpurposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or featuresof a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particularembodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be usedin a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described.The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to beregarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modificationsare intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sanitary toilet plunger containment system forholding a plunger during periods of non-use comprising: a tray includinga first shelf portion and a second shelf portion; a disposabledisinfecting component positioned within the tray and including a firstportion supported by the first shelf portion and second portionsupported by the second shelf portion; and a housing including acircumferential wall which hosts the tray.
 2. The sanitary toiletplunger containment system of claim 1 wherein the first shelf portion isa central portion of the tray and the second shelf portion is aperipheral portion of the tray.
 3. The sanitary toilet plungercontainment system of claim 1 wherein the first shelf portion issubstantially coplanar with the second shelf portion.
 4. The sanitarytoilet plunger containment system of claim 1 wherein the first shelf andthe second shelf define an annular trough therebetween.
 5. The sanitarytoilet plunger containment system of claim 1 wherein the tray furtherincludes an annular lip.
 6. The sanitary toilet plunger containmentsystem of claim 5, wherein the annular lip includes a radially extendingportion and an axially extending portion defining a channel.
 7. Thesanitary toilet plunger containment system of claim 6, wherein thecircumferential wall is received within the channel.
 8. A sanitarytoilet plunger containment system for holding a plunger during periodsof non-use comprising: a tray including a first tier and a second tier;a disposable disinfecting component positioned within the tray andsupported by the first tier; and a housing including a circumferentialwall which hosts the tray.
 9. The sanitary toilet plunger containmentsystem of claim 8, wherein the tray further includes an annular shelfportion substantially surrounding the first tier and the second tier.10. The sanitary toilet plunger containment system of claim 9, whereinthe shelf portion is substantially coplanar with the first tier.
 11. Thesanitary toilet plunger containment system of claim 6, wherein thesecond tier is a substantially annular portion of the tray and thedisposable disinfecting component is spaced from the second tier. 12.The sanitary toilet plunger containment system of claim 8 wherein thetray further includes an annular lip.
 13. The sanitary toilet plungercontainment system of claim 12, wherein the annular lip includes aradially extending portion and an axially extending portion defining achannel.
 14. The sanitary toilet plunger containment system of claim 13,wherein the circumferential wall is received within the channel.